CHAPTER 31 JOLENE

Games aren't broadcast on VG-oh-three, but because I'm the local team correspondent for our little station, I'm allowed on the sidelines during all home games, including preseason ones like today. I'll be in the crowd at away games, but the first pre-season game is being played at our home field against the Falcons.

I've been on the field before, but not during a game. The excitement is palpable, and nerves rack me as I get ready to watch this team that means so much to me play their first game.

All eyes will be on Lincoln as he takes the field for his first ever game as a head coach, and I can't wait to watch him in action.

I arrived early here at the stadium, and I've already interviewed several coaches, including Lincoln, and several players during warm-ups. I've talked to fans to gather their reactions, and Dave has been with me catching video all morning. We've already recorded several teasers and broadcast a couple of live segments to get our viewers excited about our home team this year.

Kickoff is at one o'clock, and in just a few minutes, teams will be introduced onto the field.

The crowd is gathering in their seats, some with beer and others with snacks, and fans are ready.

I watch as the coaching staff starts to take the sideline. My eyes are on the head coach, and he glances around the stadium for a few beats before his eyes land on mine.

His lips curl into a small, secret smile meant just for me, and I watch as a sense of calm seems to wash over him.

He's ready for this. He's nervous and excited, of course, but he's ready.

The announcer takes the microphone, and the crowd goes wild as he starts introducing the players. Everyone is here, though our starters will only take the field for a short time.

Lincoln still hasn't announced who will be our starting quarterback, and both Miles and Brandon are dressed for the game.

A rush of excitement fills me as I watch the sideline in front of me fill with players, and then the other team is announced. One national anthem and coin toss later, and it's finally time for kickoff.

The Aces get the ball first, and the Falcons kick it deep but kick returner Isaiah Taylor catches it and runs it up the field all the way into Falcon territory on the thirty-five yard line.

All eyes are on the sideline as we watch to see which quarterback will take the field, and I see Lincoln as he nods at number ten: Miles Hudson.

The crowd goes wild as we all watch with anticipation to see what this brand-new quarterback out of Northwestern can do for this team as he steps into the shoes of the formidable JD5 himself, Mr. Jack Dalton.

Miles runs onto the field and completes his first pass and his second. The boys move up the field and he hands off to Jaxon Bryant, who rushes into the end zone to score on the first drive of the game.

The crowd goes wild.

Miles plays a few more drives before he's replaced with Brandon, who scores on his first throw, too. The Falcons are held to a field goal, and I watch the game and take notes as I report back to the studio and scribble questions to ask when I get a moment with a player or a coach. Before I know it, it's halftime, and the second half is just as fast.

The Aces end up winning by a healthy seventeen points. Coach Nash led his team to victory in his first ever game as a head coach with a new team and new leadership.

The sense of pride that bubbles up inside me is overwhelming.

The home team's fanbase goes wild, spilling out into the concourses to celebrate the first victory of the preseason as they make their way toward the exits. Even from my spot on the field, I can hear chants of excitement.

I hang around for the post-game press conference. Dave leaves, but I wait in my seat patiently in the media room as the rest of the media members clear out.

I'm the sole person remaining, and I'm still scribbling notes when the door opens and Lincoln steps in.

"Good game, Coach," I say softly.

His offers a smile. "Thanks. We made a few mistakes, but overall I'm happy with how it went."

"It's that solid playbook," I say softly.

He takes a few steps over toward me. "What are you still doing here?"

"Taking notes." I shrug. "Waiting for you."

"Oh?"

"Care to celebrate?"

He chuckles, but his eyes seem to burn with heat.

A shiver runs down my spine as he comes closer, and when he's close enough, the scent of bergamot wafts over to me.

He leans down and runs his nose along mine. "How exactly would you like to celebrate?" His voice is low and raspy, and my heart starts to race with possibilities.

"Well, I'd say we could head out and grab a drink, but considering we're seeing each other in secret, that doesn't seem to be an option."

"No, it's not," he says quietly as he shakes his head. He smirks at me. "I've got something else in mind, anyway." His lips drop to mine, and then he hauls me up out of my chair. He carries me over toward the stage where he and players on his team sat to answer questions from the media just a few minutes ago, his mouth back on mine as he reaches into my pants to shove a finger into me.

"Oh," I moan softly, and he drives that finger in and out a few times to test out how wet I am.

Soaked is the answer. It was hot watching him coach, hot watching him answer the media's questions as he saved secret glances for me, and hot that he came back here to see if I was still here. The entire night has been like foreplay between us, and here we are.

He pulls my pants down, yanking them off over one of my legs to give me room, then undoes his pants and pulls his cock out, and he moves so quickly that my head is practically spinning as he plunges into me.

We could get caught here at any second, and the thought of it is both thrilling and intoxicating. And a little insane…but it's why he has to move quickly.

He drives into me hard and steady, immediately finding the rhythm our bodies have already learned so damn well, and I just lie back and enjoy the ride as I wrap my legs around his waist and he stands on the floor fucking me as I lie back on the stage.

Each thrust causes stars to pulse behind my eyes, and my body starts to tighten as his deep strokes fill me over and over again. My pussy starts to clench around him as he moves, and I let go, giving into the pleasure and the feel and the illicitness as it all overwhelms me at once.

He lets out a growl as he feels my pussy tightening over and over on his cock, and he lets go, too, filling me with every last drop he has as we celebrate his amazing victory on the field tonight in the media room.

Just as he finishes inside me, we hear noises outside the room we're in.

"Shit," he mutters, and he pulls quickly out of me as he shoves his cock back into his pants and zips up while I scramble to get my pants back on and pulled up as fast as I can.

Just as we're finishing putting ourselves back together, the door opens.

"There you are," Jack says to Lincoln, and dear Lord, that was a close call. Literally seconds earlier, and we would've been caught. Steve is right behind Jack, and they both walk up to Lincoln to offer their congratulations.

Jack glances at me. "So sorry if we interrupted an interview, Ms. Bailey," he says. "But we've got to take the coach out for a celebration."

"No worries. I'll catch up with you soon, Coach," I say, and I offer a smile even though my heart is beating about a million miles a minute right now.

Holy hell.

That was a close one.

We have got to be more careful…only, when the attraction pulls as strongly between two people as it does with Lincoln and me, I'm not sure we can help ourselves.

I've never been in a relationship like that before—one where I just want to tear his clothes off all the time, where I just want him inside me, fucking me, all day every day.

And here we are, now months into a secret relationship that was over two decades in the making, and that fire hasn't started to fade at all while we've built on the emotional side of our relationship, too.

I'm just not sure how many more close encounters my heart can take.